Sash balance



p 13, 1951 E. E. FOSTER 2,567,931

SASH BALANCE Filed Jan. 29, 1947 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept- 18, 1951 E. E. FOSTER 2,567,931

SASH BALANCE Filed Jan. 29, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sept. 18, 1951 Filed Jan. 29, 1947 E. E. FOSTER SASH BALANCE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Sept. 18, 1951 UNITED STATES PATlil -Nil"Vv 2,56'i,931

S SHB AN E Edwin ErFo'ster, Austin, Tex. Application January e9, 1947, serial No, 725,950

3 Claims. (01. 1 6197) This invention relates to a sash balance and H Fi is aside v ew piacorner or the window sash,

which offers a minimum of friction and which guide member for such column of blocks and provided with and separated by the springs which have a constantload carrying capacity through their entire stroke.

A still further object of the invention resides in a combination weather strip sash balance and parting strip or stop in which the counter balance device is mounted in the weather strip which latter is also formed as a parting strip or stop. Thus the combined device will fit into the parting stop groove between two window sashes .so that it is not necessary to groove or otherwise work on the sash frame. A still further. object resides in a structure in which a full length weather strip and balance unit may be installed in an old or existing window by merely removing the old parting strip and inserting the unit in place thereof.

' Another object resides in a structure which can be cut down or sawed ofi to the particular length of the window sash.

A further object resides in a special spring device which has a special coil section under tension having a straight section at each end which in normal position project at an angle relative to the longitudinalaxis of the coil section.

Further objects will be apparent from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings in which;

Figure 1 is a cross sectional view of a part of a window,

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the counter balance device in the contracted position takenon line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view similar to Fig. 2 showing the counter balance in the expanded position.

Fig. 4 is a sideview of the detail of the counter balance,

Fig. 10 is a longitudinalsection or a modified link with one s ringattached' thereto at one end, and

F 11 and 1' are Side elevations of the l n of Fig. "10 looking toward the left, and right respectively, each with the upper portions in section taken on lines 1 l.-'-. l 'i Z and I2 l2 of Fig; l0

respectively.

Referring to Fig. 1 the invention may beepplied to anytype'of. window or movable or slidable doo but fo purp s o lmstr i an example, a woodenlwindowand frameis illustrated. The window includes a frame In hay ing a front guide moulding I] and a groove or channel I2. A back or upper sash l3 and a front or lower sash it. are mounted to slide in the frame In.

Each window sash is provided witha bracket member'or lug l5 having a securing portion 16 provided withtwo or more holes l1, Fig. 6. A projecting portion [8 extends beyond thew'indow sash as shown in Fig. 5 when thebiacket member is mounted in' the windowframe. The 1 01'"- tions l6 and I8 are preferably parallel to each other in an offset relation. I The bracket 'memberllii .islpreferably secured in a slot 20 in the sash frame; Figs. '1 and 5, and pins 2| extend throughthe sashframe and the ol s I! to secure the bracket memb in p ate.

The groove or channel 1 2, in which a parting stop or strip is usualllyprovided, receivesa pair of weatherstrips 2'2 asshownin'Figs. 1 and'B oiwhich F gfis ows-one 0f the stri ntlie form of a casing having a securing portionfii, a guide portion 24 and a iiexibleiside portion 25. W i Mdlyp q n Peril us 26 a P 6 hfine the guide portionfldand, as shown inFigure 8, this strip}; is :preierably formed of sheet metal and made integralWflZhabaCk side 27. AS shown in Figure 1, two strips;.2;2 are arranged back to back and are arranged in the, groove {2 secured in place b means of .nails;.9 or the like.

The sash-balance asshown in FiguresZ, 3 and 4, mpri a PIu aLitybYsD nsSE 9 ahd nKs SB arranged in chain fashion with alternate links and springs. The links or blocks 3'O' slide inthe guide portion or. 24 with the springs -29 rojecting into the space joined b ythe: backside 21 and the flexible side portion 25, Fig. 8. Each spring 29 is composed of a spiral cylindrical coil 3| which is coiled and pretensioned with the loops in contact with each other due to the pretension and integral straight end portions 32 normally projecting at a slight angle from the longitudinal axis of the coil as shown in Figure 3 and terminating in an eyelet. The springs are connected to their respective links 30 by means of pins 33 which extend through the respective eyelets. The spring 29 is shown in its normal position in Figure 3.

It is also possible to make the weather strip as an integral structure or as shown in Figures in which the strip includes two guide casings 35 and securing portions straight sections 31 forming a T with the end portions 38. A separate spring section 39 having resilient portions 46 is bent over the head 38 of the T and this separate section is preferably made of a lighter gage material than the portions 35, 36, 31 and 38.

Figures 10 to 12 illustrate a modified spring and link column showing, for purpose of illustration, one link and a partial spring. The link 44 has end slots 41 terminating in a broad V as shown by the dotted line 45 in Figure 11. Also, each end of the link is provided with a perforation 46 extending therethrough, and the slots 41 divide the ends of the links into two portions 48 and 49. The portion 49 is provided with a slot 50, the purpose of which will be described. The spring is similar to spring 29 except that each integral end portion 52 has an oifset portion 53 and an approximately right angle bent pin portion 54. The purpose of the offset portion 53 is to center the spring relative to the link. With this structure it is a very simple matter to assemble the links and springs and, furthermore, no separate pins are necessary. The spring is connected to the link upon assembly by inserting the pin portion 54 into the perforation 46 with the end portion 52 in alignment with the slot 50. Then the spring is turned and in such position, as well as its operating position, the spring is locked to its link.

' To insert this weather stripp n and balance into an old window, it is'merely necessary to remove the front guide mould II and the parting stop which fits into the groove l2. Both sashes are prepared by sawing the slot 26 across the top corner of the side nearest the parting stop. Pin holes are drilled to match the holes H in the bracket member 16, and the back sash I3 is then placed in the frame It). The weather stripping units 22 are then inserted into the parting stop grooves 12 and secured by means of the small nails 9. The front sash I4 is then inserted and the guide mould II is nailed into position, and thus both sashes are now held against their nearest guide moulds I I and 4| by means of the flexible sides 25 of the weather stripping 22. In order to attach the counterweight mechanism to the 36 together with integral sash itself, it is necessary to insert the end I8 of 1 the bracket into-the square column or guide 24 on the weather stripping," as shown in Fig. 1. This bracket is inserted in-the top of the window,

and the sash is then lifted up against the bracket 4 window opening than the customary parting stop, but it is still not as far into the window opening as a window screen frame 42, Fig. 1.

The bracket [6, which fits into the top of the spring column, is at the very top of the window frame. Therefore, it is not necessary for the springs to extend nearer the bottom of the frame than about 10 inches, as l2 springs 29, as an example, provide all of the travel needed for the ordinary sash. A blank space may be left at the bottom of th frame, and when shorter windows are used, it is possible to say off whatever amount is required from the bottom of the unit without disturbing the balance mechanism. This eliminates having to stock so many different lengths to take care of the dozen or more different height windows. Plain blocks, such as links 36, without the springs may be used to fill up the space at the bottom.

It is, of course, obvious that the guide portion 24, Fig. 8, may be round instead of square in which case the links 30 would have a round crosssection. Also, the links may be made of a plastic material as well as metal.

The end portion [8 of the bracket rests directly on top of the column of springs and links and may fit into a groove 43, Fig. 4, by omitting the pin.

Referring to Figs. 2 and 3, the latter shows the spring column with the window sash in the normal or closed position but when the sash is lowered, the springs 29 may simultaneously and gradually flex in unison, or some of the springs may flex completely before the others, as for example shown in Fig. 2. The flexing of the springs may be governed by such conditions asthe friction of the links 39 in the guide portion and the possible variations in the individual springs themselves and the specific lengths and degree of the angle of the arms 32. It is also possible to provide a number of additional springs and links by reducing the number of links at the bottom to take care of breakage or set of one or more of the springs during use whereby the defective or broken spring can merely be removed or left in the column. This would not effect the counterbalance action of the spring column.

It is, of course, obvious that the invention is capable of many modifications within the scope of the appended claims. Also, it is not necessary that all the parts shall be used conjointly but may be used separately or in sub-combinations in any devices or structures in which the parts may be applicable.

I claim as my invention:

1. A counterbalance device for a window and the like comprising a sheet metal casing secured in a window frame and having a guide portion and a flexible side portion adapted to contact the window, and a plurality of springs and links interconnected end to end in alternate relationship and mounted to slide in the guide portion, each spring having a spiral coil which is under. coiled pre-tension and a straight end portion projecting from the spiral coil and connected to its respective link.

2. A counterbalance device fora window and the like comprising a series of links each having. a slotted end, and a series of springs each having a spiral coiled portion and a straight end portion at each end of the coiled portion, said links and spring being connected alternately to each other by means of the slotted ends and the. straight end portions, and said coiled portions 5 being pre-fiexed in their coils and bowing outwardly when the series of links are moved toward each other.

3. A counterbalance device for a window and the like comprising a series of links each having a slotted end, and a series of springs each having a spiral coiled portion and a straight end portion at each end of the coiled portion, said links and spring being connected alternately to each other by means of the slotted ends and the straight end portions, and each end of each link having a perforation therein to receive the corresponding end of the spring.

EDWIN E. FOSTER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,095,634 Hobohm May 5, 1914 1,508,081 Bean Sept. 9, 1924 2,099,106 Ewart Nov. 16, 1937 2,152,488 Kreuscher Mar. 28, 1939 2,284,343 Ricci May 26, 1942 2,284,436 Lundgren May 26, 1942 2,335,816 Tappan Nov. 30, 1943 2,348,121 Gillen May 2, 1944 2,384,980 Uiehweger Sept. 18, 1945 

